Common’s feature on Kanye’s ‘Get Em High’, which appeared almost a decade after his diss track smashing Ice Cube, proved again that his being a thoughtful MC doesn’t limit his ability to wreak destruction on wax.
Nas:
“You got some songs, brother that’s violent, without being violent. Without cursing, but you get your point across, you make people stand at attention. There’s times I hear something that Common does that I’m like, ‘I wish I made that song.’ He got a way to approach certain records, like…”
Audience member:
“‘Get Em High!”
Nas:
“Yeah! Get Em High, you know it’s crazy, it’s too many to name actually.”
— 52nd Grammy Weekend
Get Em High (Kanye West ft. Talib Kweli & Common, 2004):
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Get ‘em high like noon or the moon,
Or room filled with smoke, a hype filled with dope
Y’all assumed I was doomed, out of tune,
But I still fill the notes with real nigga quotes
Real rappers is hard to find like a remote,
Control rappers out of, used to but still got love,
That’s why I abuse you who are not thugs
Rock clubs like Tiger Woods in the hood,
Should have my own reality show called Soul Survivor
I stole on liver niggas than you,
You’s a bitch, I got ones that are thicker than you
How could I ever let your words affect me,
They say hip hop is dead, I’m here to resurrect me,
Marks is too sexy to even make songs like these
That’s why the raw don’t know your name, like Alicia Keys
To many featured MCs and producers is populer
Twelve thousand spins, nobody got to copping the album,
How come? You the hot garbage of the year,
It’s clear your image is snooped up
Label got you souped up, telling you you sick,
When you a dick with a loose nut
Video hard to watch like Medusa
Even your club record need a booster
Chimped up, with a pimp cup, illiterate nigga!
Read the info/infra-red across your head I’m bread/bred king like Simba
Bo(u)lder then Denver, I ain’t a Madd Rapper just a emcee with a temper
You dancing for money like Honey, I did this my way
So when the industry crash, I survive like Kanye
Spitting through wires and fires, MCs retiring
Got yo hands up? Get them motherfuckers higher then!
